Why Healthcare Systems in the Developing World Need a Shot in the Arm

The ebola crisis has demonstrated that countries with very weak health care systems are extremely vulnerable to an otherwise preventable disease outbreak. Now that the crisis is on the wane, organizations are taking stock of how to build better health systems — that is, the nuts and bolts of how people access the care they need.

To that end, Save the Children released a new report this week that ranks 72 poor countries based on the relative strength of their overall health system. I speak with CEO Carolyn Miles about the new Health Access Index, what countries can do to move up it, and why universal healthcare for people in the developing world is a perfectly achievable goal. This is Miles’ second appearance on the podcast. In episode 16 she tells Mark about her remarkable life story and career path that lead her to Save the Children. Have a listen and get the app.